Hidden
by HessianDamian
Summary: Archer goes to face his nemesis in the bowels of a cave...But what really lurks in the Major's agenda?


Hey guys, I just got back into the fandom: Small Soldiers. It's an awesome kids' movie about A.I. toys, and yeah. Tommy Lee Jones is in it too, so that makes it even better. *Grin.* My OTP for the movie is Archer/Major.

Hidden

Archer scanned the mouth of the cave, brow furrowed, and green eyes narrowed. I hope I am correct in my assumption… He paused only for a second, before stepping inside and taking cautionary steps down the side of the steep ravine that was inside. The rocks were jagged on the walls, and the floor was slick with melted snow. Yes, there was a fire at the bottom.

The Gorgonite lifted his crossbow, scanning with cat-like irises for any sign of his adversary. Where was he? Major Chip Hazard's steely blue eyes flashed across his vision, white-hot, and searing. Archer pressed down on a rock, sliding gently across his surface. After years of balance training on slick river rocks, he'd learned not to go against the grain, but with the sliding of the surface.

He stopped. A clack rang out from the gloom, strong and definite. It was followed closely by a clang, then nothing. Archer waited with baited breath, lowering his body to the jagged surfaces below and sliding down them like they were a river current. The Gorgonite waited when he'd reached the bottom, shifting himself to crawl across the dirt covered floor. He prowled like a cat, sniffing a patch of earth with no noise.

Gunpowder, smoke, sweat, blood, and the definite musk of the white-haired human – the scent was fresh, mingling with the smell of frost to inch deeper into the cavern. Archer slid gently with the earth, making his way across the room to a small crack in the wall. The sound had come from deep within. He eased onto his haunches and slid a hand over more jagged rocks. The Gorgonite took in a deep breath and held it as he moved within, sliding his body, and arching his back in what would have been a painful degree for a human.

He knew the Major, the human was ruthless, and hated any form of life that was not shaped as his own. Archer repressed the need to sigh, making his way farther into the crevice, and smelling the distinct tang of smoke. A bright orange engulfed the narrow slip's end, splattering across the melted water, and glinting faintly by the glow of its maker. The Gorgonite put his palms on cool earth, his eyes adjusting to the darkened cavern.

Pillars of stone supported the jagged roof; anything behind them was spotted in the crimson glow of what sat in the middle of their placed forms, a spiraling, laughing fire. Thankfully, the opening to this place was behind such a form, shadowing Archer's arrival into the domain of his nemesis. He moved inside, kneeling behind the column that had hidden him from view, and peeked out to see – The Major.

He was sitting, cross legged in front of the fire, his lightning blue eyes narrowed on the spiraling flames. Chip's right hand held his knife, his grip lax, and face impassive. Archer knew better, the Major's eyes held a hateful tale, telling of all the horrors he planned. The Gorgonite knew this was his only chance, a swift clean shot could end the whole war…But there was no such honor in that way. Doing such a thing would only prove the Major right about him.

Archer removed his crossbow, setting it down with his leather chest guard and bracers. The Major was wearing nothing more than his boots, dog tags, and pants. His only weapon was his knife. The Gorgonite evened the playing field and grabbed his blade as well. Nothing would be uneven, nothing would be lost.

He eased across the room, going to sit opposite the human, hand tight upon the hilt of his dagger. Archer faced his opponent, sitting cross-legged as he did, eyes staring into blue, waiting for them to rise. The Gorgonite wasn't surprised when the azure snapped to his, wide, and dark. "You…" His voice was a hiss as he stood, his lax grip suddenly snug and jaw clenched.

"Major," Archer nodded once, the human slowly rising, his foe doing the same. Noticing their only weapons, Hazard smirked inwardly. The Gorgonite believed he was being honorable by abandoning his crossbow…damn ridiculous. Tossing away his only hope of winning…these aliens really weren't that smart. He expertly twirled his knife and charged Archer, who feinted to the left as he sliced.

The human managed to nick his chest, which caused Archer to hiss in slight pain, his eyes narrowing as he took up a defensive stance. Major bared his teeth, rushing him once more, the alien continuously on the move away from his blade, though not always fast enough to escape injury. Soon, he felt forced to fight back and landed his own hits, surprising Hazard, the human growling darkly. "Alien scum…"

Their dance continued; the tense movement of their bodies accented by the slash of their knives, eyes locked on each other with a frightening intensity. The two were deadly silent save for the occasional clang of metal on metal, Archer jumping on a rock for higher ground; the major following without hesitation and pulling him back down. The Gorgonite hit the ground hard, the air forced from his lungs.

A sudden weight fell on his torso, and his eyes snapped open to find Hazard pressing his blade to his neck with a self-satisfied smile, a sudden spark in his blue irises. He leaned down and growled, "I love you…" Archer's only response was a twitch of his eye.

A-m-A-m-A-m

How'd you like it? R&R! Oh, by the way, the reason for the writing style change there at the end was because Damian came over to my house and finished it. XD

~Hessian


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